


Heart to Heart

by squeaklings



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Family, Gen, Introspection, Mother-Son Relationship, Post-Episode: s03e08 Mr. Greg, Self-Doubt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-23
Updated: 2016-08-23
Packaged: 2018-08-10 15:44:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7851259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/squeaklings/pseuds/squeaklings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steven needs to get something off his chest.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heart to Heart

**Author's Note:**

> The idea for this hit me after humming _Both of You_ while at work. I also wanted to explore Steven being unsure of himself without wallowing in self-pity. I hope I achieved that.

The light from the warp pad casts eerie shadows as Steven teleports into the garden, the afternoon sky already growing sunset pink. The rosebushes wave softly in the perfumed breeze as Steven makes his way towards the fountain.

“Hey, Mom.”

Rose’s Fountain is as beautiful as the last—and only—time he came. Rosebushes and trees decorate the perimeter and the ground is covered in soft, lush grasses and moss. The water is clear and fresh and the sound of it falling fills the glade like a soothing lullaby.

Steven runs his hands along the edge of the fountain as he slowly circles it. “Something really good happened the other day,” he says, smiling up at his mother’s center statue. “Dad’s crummy old manager sold the song Dad sang when you first met, and now Dad’s a millionaire! So Dad and I went to Empire City, and we brought Pearl too. We stayed at a fancy hotel, and the room had a fountain in it with a slide and everything! We even got Pearl to wear a suit; it fit her really well!” He smiles warmly at the memory. “That’s not the really good thing, though. Pearl and Dad, they haven’t gotten along since before I was born. And things almost went really bad, like Keystone Motel bad, but,” he says and crawls up into one of the smaller statue’s arms, “they finally talked.”

He stares out at the glade and watches the shadows stretch and creep along the ground. There’s some moss on one of Rose’s ringlets and Steven pokes it; it’s warm and soft, like he’s sure Rose was.

“It took a _lot_ of coaxing, though. They still love you so much, and they were really hurting, but I think they’re going to be OK now, Mom.” He leans back against her and closes his eyes. “But I’m still not sure what to feel about you. I know you’re a part of me,” he opens his eyes and presses a hand against his gem, “but I’m not sure which part.”

The sky grows dark, but the fountain glows with a soft, magical light as Steven slowly climbs down from Rose’s arms. “You said that, when I love being me, that’s you. But I don’t always love being me. A lot of stuff has been happening lately and I’m not always strong enough to help. Jasper is still loose and she thinks I’m you, but I’m not and sometimes I think that’s the problem. The Gems know who they are, and what they can do, but there’s no one else like me to help me out when I’m lost.”

He presses a hand against the statue’s arm. A firefly wanders by, then another, and soon they’re dancing in and out of the rosebushes and Steven smiles.

“But I’m really happy, too! Because I have Dad, and Connie, and Pearl, and Garnet and Amethyst, and now I have Peridot and Lapis too! I wish you could meet them, they’re great.” He wraps his arms around the base of the small statue and rests his head against her side as he watches the fireflies dance. “Lapis takes a little getting used to cause she’s been through a lot, and Peridot loves human things almost as much as you—well, she’s kind of indifferent to humans themselves, but…” He chuckles to himself at the thought of Peridot and _Camp Pining Hearts._

A firefly floats by and lands on one of the roses growing on the statue. It blinks slowly once, twice, before it lazily flies away. The last bits of light have long since passed and the sky is the deep blue of a summer night. 

“I guess I should get home now.” He pats the statue’s arm. “It was nice talking with you, Mom.” He steps away and then stops to turn back towards the large center statue. She stares out with lidded eyes, but despite the tears that flow into the fountain he doesn’t think she looks sad. “Do you think it would be OK if I came by again sometime?”

The smell of roses drifts by as the breeze plays with his hair, and Steven smiles.


End file.
